


not like the other boys ('cause with you, i've got no choice)

by softsaturns



Category: Bill & Ted (Movies)
Genre: Coming Out, First Kiss, M/M, idk i just wanted to write something cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-12 01:35:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13536879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softsaturns/pseuds/softsaturns
Summary: Bill has to slam his hand on the top of the stereo system a few times before it turns on with a satisfying click, the screech of Van Halen filling the air. He turns around to look at Ted and grins.For the first time in his life, Ted hates the sound of his favourite band.





	not like the other boys ('cause with you, i've got no choice)

**Author's Note:**

> i wanted to contribute something to this cute little fandom for these stupid movies so i wrote a thing despite not writing any fic for the past decade or so (haha wish i was kidding), forgive me if my writing sounds a little rusty. feel free to leave some feedback if you want! the title is from "La La" by The Cab lmao gotta love cheesy romance songs :D

It’s late in the evening when they head back to Bill’s house, the tail-end of a sunset bathing the streets of San Dimas in a glorious golden hue and the fresh breeze a much-needed respite from the heat of the day. A large sweat stain decorates the back of Bill’s t-shirt as he walks, Ted singing tunelessly beside him as they approach the house.

They’d spent the previous couple of hours at the mall eating fast food and checking out newly stocked records at the music store. Earlier in the day Missy had stopped Bill on the stairs as the two of them were leaving to announce she’d be out late with Bill’s dad on a date, and that they probably wouldn’t be back until the next morning. Bill had shrugged, feigning disinterest, and tried not to think about the things his dad and Missy would be getting up to later.

Ted found this very amusing, and Bill was made absolutely aware of just how funny he found it _all_ afternoon. On the plus side, his dad finally gave him permission to spend the night, and for weeks the two of them have put off reading comics for such an occasion – these Ted has stuffed into a large paper also filled with snacks they bought at the nearby Circle K.

With the whole house to themselves tonight, they can make as much noise as they want and listen to music without volume limits, which both boys consider an absolute blessing; they’ll practically be living like kings!

 

It’s cool and empty inside the house when they arrive, Bill’s loud groan of relief accompanied by an exaggerated shake of his blond curls as he pulls off his shirt. Ted smiles as they trudge up the stairs to Bill’s room, rubbing at the sweat on the back of his own neck.

“Honey, I’m home!” Bill announces to no one, kicking open his bedroom door. He does a little spin on his heels from the doorway and aims his dirty shirt at the laundry basket, throwing it with a flourish of his wrist. It lands unceremoniously on the small pile of laundry already at the foot of his bed. “Bogus.”

“So where’d you bet your dad and your step-mom have gone?” Ted asks around a mouthful of candy, walking in after Bill. He gets a glare in reply.

“I don’t know,” Bill mutters, stalking towards his closet, “and I don’t think I wanna know.”

“Okay.” Ted unties his orange jacket from around his waist and pops it along with the paper bag onto the bed.

 

Wearing his usual combo of shorts over sweatpants seemed like a good idea that morning, but now his legs feel like they’ve been baking in an oven for hours. He kicks off his shoes and sits down on the end of the bed, not wanting to take his sweatpants off in front a half-naked Bill currently rummaging around in his closet for a clean shirt.

And that’s just the thing because lately Ted’s been doing some deep thinking and realising some truths about himself. It’s silly because he can’t talk to his dad or to Deacon about this situation he’s caught up in - Bill’s always the person for the job. But… in this case he can’t talk to Bill about it either, and it sucks  _most_  heinously.

 

Something _weird_ happened at school a few days ago. Usually by now he would have forgotten whatever pointless thing went on but the sheer shock of it won’t seem to leave him. Some guys from the football team and their girlfriends had walked by just as he and Bill were leaving the lunchroom, and Ted overheard one of the girls making a comment to her boyfriend about Bill.

More specifically, something about Bill’s mouth and the way he looked.

“Those two are always together anyway,” he had heard the guy say in reply. “About the blond one though...” At this the girl had given her boyfriend an oddly pointed look and he‘d leaned in, lowering his voice. “I mean, I _totally_ would if I wasn’t with you, no offence.”

Ted felt as though someone had slapped him across the face. Surprisingly, the girl only slapped her boyfriend’s arm with an ugly laugh, and they’d gone on their merry way. He kept his gaze on Bill’s back as they walked past, fighting to keep his expression neutral. Huh.

 

For the duration of afternoon classes that day, Ted thought about guys.

He thought about other guys on the school football team, guys he’d seen around town or on TV and in magazines, and asked himself whether he‘d ever do such things with them. So it came to him as a bit of a shock in the middle of biology class when he realised he probably would if any of them were funny, smart, had similar taste in music, and liked him as much as he liked them. Maybe.

This revelation had almost cost him his lunch and the tip of a finger much to the disapproval of his biology teacher, but the class had been dissecting dead frogs at the time so Ted figures he’d just been holding his scalpel wrong.

When he got home that afternoon he thought about faking a sickness to skip school and band practice the next day to think about all of this some more, and then mentally scolded himself for hypothetically abandoning Bill and being a hypothetical shitty best friend.

Ted didn’t want to look at Bill that way because he understood they were simply two very close dudes who were already in relationships with two equally close babes. Even so, that same night he’d gone to bed thinking about dear Elizabeth and her accent and her excellently long legs and how nice she always smelled and, without warning, Bill was there in his head, all blond curls and nimble guitarist fingers and bright eyes, grinning like hell at some stupid joke he’d apparently made.

Ted promptly popped a boner and hadn’t been able to fall asleep for hours. _Bogus._

 

Now, he shifts on the edge of Bill’s bed, feeling sweat on the backs of his thighs. He watches his best friend pull on a clean shirt and walk over to the dresser to turn on the stereo system. Bill has to slam his hand on the top of the stereo system a few times before it turns on with a satisfying click, the screech of Van Halen filling the air. He turns around to look at Ted and grins.

For the first time in his life, Ted hates the sound of his favourite band. He stands up, wiping his palms on the tops of his thighs.

“Whoa, dude,” Bill says, taking a step back. He looks around at an imaginary audience. “A dance-off? Now?”

“I gotta use the bathroom,” Ted says, shuffling over to the door.

“Sure.” Bill kicks off his own shoes, reaching over to empty the paper bag over the covers when a thought occurs to him. He turns back to Ted sharply. “Oh, _dude._ You’re not gonna,” he raises his eyebrows, “y’know…?”

He makes a lewd gesture with one hand.

“No!” Ted says, pulling a face.

Bill snorts. “Okay, cool. Just checking!”

“Cool.” Ted nods again, a slight smile on his face, and slips out of the room, closing the door behind him.

 

 

They’re sitting with their backs to the headboard, fine sugar crystals scattered everywhere on the bed-covers, the remaining snacks from the paper bag gathered into a pile between them. The guy at the counter hadn’t been too pleased to ring up so many unhealthy purchases and staring down at the small pile, Ted can see why. The ratio of Skittles is hideously disproportionate to the ratio of Pop Rocks.

His fingers pick away noisily at Bill’s guitar in his lap while Bill sits deep in concentration, a comic open in front of him. Ted feels much better now he’s in his shorts, grey sweatpants folded and placed over a nearby chair along with his jacket. Unfortunately it hasn’t stopped the weird nagging feeling under his skin, now strangely tuned in to every noise Bill makes in response to something in his comic and every brush of skin of Bill’s elbow against his leg when he reaches over to grab a snack.

It’s weirdly unsettling but he doesn’t know how to turn it off. If this is what going mad feels like, Ted isn’t sure he likes it.

Bill turns a page of his comic and suddenly stretches, shirt riding up. He makes an awful sound, halfway between a yawn and a moan. Ted plucks one guitar string a little too loudly, jarring in the calm of the room.

“Dude,” Bill says, glancing over at him with heavy-lidded eyes. “Don’t break my guitar.”

“Sorry.” Ted leans over and places the guitar on the floor. He reaches over to the pile of sweets and grabs a Skittle, popping it into his mouth and sucking. The taste distracts him for a while and it’s good, until Bill reaches over for one as well, hand brushing against his leg _again_.

Ted visibly jolts.

“Okay, _dude,_ ” Bill says, taken aback. “You are acting most peculiarly tonight.”

“I’m feeling most peculiar, dude.” Ted sits up, licking his lips. The words won’t come to him. Bill closes his comic, immediately concerned. “I feel...itchy. Like, real itchy and bad.”

“Think talking to Sigmund Frood would help?”

“Possibly, but something tells me even medical journals couldn’t help solve this. I am in a most perplexing situation, dude.”

Bill crosses his legs together and puts his comic to one side. He leans forward and balances his elbows on his knees, putting his hands together so his fingertips are touching in a thoughtful gesture. “Any idea why that is?”

Ted swallows nervously. He twists, crossing his legs so he mirrors Bill. “Well. Something happened at school a couple days ago and it’s kind of been bothering me ever since.”

 

At Bill’s concerned look he recounts the story, omitting Bill’s name and skimming over the sexy things he overheard. Bill sits and listens patiently, for which he is most grateful. However, his frown only seems to deepen the longer Ted continues his story.

“Hold on a second. So you’re freaking out because you overheard a guy talking about another guy?”

Ted shakes his head. “Well, yeah, but- it wasn’t like that, it was... he was talking about _havingsexwithhim_.”

“Oh. You mean like... two dudes having sex with each other?”

“Yeah. Well, no, he talked about stuff he wanted to do. I guess I’ve just never heard it said out loud like that. I don’t think he even knew the other dude.”

“Oh,” Bill says again. He quiets down, mouth curling as though he’s assessing this new information in his brain. After a moment he uncrosses his legs and clicks his tongue. “Well, Ted, in all sincerity, I’ve thought similar things about, uh, other girls before Joanna. I‘m sure you’ve done the same before Elizabeth too,” he says matter-of-factly. “We’re not exactly innocent virginal maidens here, dude.”

“True,” Ted mumbles. ”Kissing the princesses is only fair; they are our girlfriends and we have the most important duty to treat them as such.”

“Right. Then again,” Bill says, “the princesses are from Medieval England so it seems pointless to compare them to the babes of San Dimas. I mean, other girls,” he says quickly.

 

Ted swallows as Bill lapses into another thoughtful silence. Ted shifts uncomfortably, about to ask him to drop the subject and forget they ever said anything when Bill lifts his head with purpose. The determined air about him causes Ted to go still.

“Ted… have you ever looked at a dude that way?” Bill’s tone is curious. “Like, thought about a dude like that before?”

Ted looks at him then. He looks at Bill and thinks about Bill’s crop tops, the many times he’s caught himself staring at the exposed skin of his best friend’s stomach. Wondering how it would feel to touch him there. If Bill would let him.

If Bill would like it.

Ted clears his throat. “Yeah.”

Bill tilts his head at that. “Okay. And… do you think you’d ever kiss a dude?”

Ted considers for a moment. “I guess if he wanted to, and I wanted to, then yeah, maybe. I don’t imagine it’s any different from kissing girls.” The nonchalant laugh he adds comes out sounding a little forced.

 

Bill gives him a questioning look.

He sighs, feeling helpless. “Listen, Bill. I gotta tell you something, but you have to promise not to laugh, okay?”

The worry in Ted’s voice is enough to make Bill nod, serious. Ted nods back.

“Okay. Bill… you’re my best friend, and you’ve been my best friend since before Wyld Stallions came into existence. You could say even way before  _we_  came into existence! And that’s never gonna change. But,” Ted bites his lip, thoughts swirling around in his head. “Lately it seems  _other_  things have changed.”

“Changed?” Concern flitters over Bill’s features. His eyes grow wide. “You’re not breaking up the band, are you?”

“No! Just hear me out. Elizabeth is a most excellent companion and a great girlfriend. I feel most heinous about all this anyway since we’re still together, but it’s totally imperative I get this off my chest. I don’t know if I could tell her without telling you first.”

Bill doesn’t say anything. He’s probably thinking about his girlfriend too, but not for the same reason Ted is thinking of his. “Go on.”

“I realise now, I like her a lot, just… not enough to want to kiss her anymore, and that’s why my brain’s all messed up ‘cause it’s not the same when you  _want_  to kiss someone. We’ve both wanted to kiss girls before and the princesses are proof of that.” He takes a deep breath. “I guess what I’m saying is... I think I want to kiss dudes too.”

 

It takes a few seconds for the words to sink in. Ted feels his heart give out at least three times.

“Hey.” Bill shakes his head, laughing incredulously. “C’mon. You’re my best friend. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. I’d never leave you just ‘cause you wanted to make out with other dudes!” He pauses, his voice going soft. “You’re safe with me.”

Ted feels like he wants to throw up, but Bill is being most sincere and it would be rude to barf all over his pillows. He closes his eyes.

“Yeah, well, even though I want to, I can’t.”

“Why? There’s someone already?”

Ted opens his eyes slowly. “Uh, kinda.”

“Dude! Bill’s face lights up at the expression he must see on his face. “Do I know him? Is he in our English class?” He gasps suddenly, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial tone. “It isn’t Mike, is it?”

“What?” Ted squawks. “No! No way, man.”

Mike, some kid in their English class who smells faintly of goat’s cheese and dresses for an entirely different climate, fell asleep in the middle of a test last week and somehow managed to impale his finger on a pencil in his sleep. Ted thinks the guy has nice hair though.

 

Bill laughs. He sits back, propping himself up on the palms of his hands. “I’m kidding. So if it isn’t anyone I know, then who is it?”

“Well, you’re actually half-right. You do know him… and he is in our English class.”

“Seriously? Dude, this is most frustrating! At least tell me some stuff about this him.”

Ted cheers up slightly. “Well... he’s kinda short.”

Bill rolls his eyes. “Ted, my friend, that is an outrageously unfair comparison. You’re like, six-foot, which makes everyone short compared to you.”

“Anyway. I‘m pretty sure he has similar taste in music.” Ted does a little air guitar motion, which Bill grins at. “He’s also a total comedic genius.”

“Sounds good. Intelligence and a sense of humour are some super desirable traits to have in a prospective partner.”

“Yeah,” Ted says. “One time I fell down a bunch of stairs thanks to him and I nearly died. But,” he gestures to himself here, “I’m totally okay now.”

Bill‘s mouth falls open, completely oblivious to the reference. “No way! You got into a fight with this guy? What a dickweed! How are you, like, not dead?”

“The world works in mysterious ways, dude.”

“Where was I that whole time?” Bill says, mostly to himself. He narrows his eyes. “Are you sure this guy is someone I know?”

“Yeah. We‘re both around him all the time, it’s impossible not to know him.”

“How does that even work?”

Ted smiles. He feels drunk on stupidity, or maybe he’s just being brave. “Believe it or not, dude… I’m sitting on his bed right now.”

All of this inner turmoil he’s been facing for the past week almost feels worth it for the way Bill jerks his head to look at him. He looks like he’s having an existential crisis. Either that or Ted’s actually broken him.

“Uh. Bill?”

“Yeah,” Bill finally says in an unusual voice. He shifts on the mattress, stretching his legs out. “So. To summarise, we‘ve established that you’re into dudes as well as babes…”

“Yeah.” Ted uncurls. His ankle bumps against Bill’s leg.

Bill looks up, regarding him. “And you definitely want to kiss other dudes.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Bill nods coolly. “But… there happens to be a very specific dude you have in mind, and that dude is me.”

“Pretty much.”

“Cool.” Bill is staring at him with an odd expression. He looks back down, picking at a piece of lint on the inside of his leg. “Well, listen, Ted, there’s something I gotta tell you too.”

Ted’s heart is hammering in his chest. “What?”

“I’m into other dudes too.”

Ted does a double-take.

“I know,” Bill says with a wry chuckle. “I kinda figured it out when we went to pick up So-crates, ‘cause all the philosophising had me in this totally introspective mood when we got back. Plus, the dudes from that era? _Total_ babes. I wish I had abs like them.”

“You look fine the way you are,” Ted says before he can stop himself. He feels his cheeks warm, embarrassed but courageous in his honesty.

Bill raises his eyebrows, unable to hide his smile. “Thanks, dude. Anyway, I guess I was going to bring it up but then… we had the princesses and our history report, and everything got so busy, I just never found the right time to say anything, I guess.”

“Oh. Well, that’s okay, Bill. I understand.”

Bill smiles wider. “And, uh, Ted?”

“Yeah?”

“I can’t believe you called me short.”

Ted can’t help a loud laugh, turning away to hide his smirk. He turns back to look at Bill, about to say something when he feels the bed sink close to him and without warning Bill is there, leaning forward and-

 

Oh. There’s a pair of lips pressing lightly against his.

 

Ted absolutely swears time stops. If old Rufus were here he would not be hearing the end of it. Bill’s lips are warm and a little chapped but Ted doesn’t mind because his best friend in the entire world is kissing him and okay, he’s just getting with the program and kissing him back.

The bedsprings squeak as he shifts closer, tilting his head, nose bumping against Bill’s cheek. Bill falters, caught unaware by Ted’s enthusiasm, one arm reaching out to support himself on the mattress. Embarrassed, Ted goes still, but it’s worth it to hear Bill’s laugh, a nice sound that vibrates into the kiss, soft exhale of breath against Ted’s cheek.

Bill leans forward more, crawling into Ted’s space until he’s kneeling in between his legs, Ted’s knees cradling his hips. Ted’s fingers find the hem of Bill’s shirt, tickling the skin at his waistband. He rests his hand there, denim rough against his fingers, letting Bill move against him.

He doesn’t expect the hand that comes up to rest in the space where neck meets shoulder, Bill’s palm warm and steady and real. He gently nudges forward, nose bumping against Bill’s, mouth parting on a shaky exhale.

 

Bill suddenly rises up from his kneeling position, lifting himself so he’s straddling Ted, legs bracketing Ted’s hips, shifting even closer and _down_ , a breathless laugh escaping him at the stunned noise Ted makes.

“Okay?” Bill asks, soft as anything. Ted opens his eyes to see Bill looking down at him, cheeks red and mouth even redder. He won’t stop smiling. It’s a strange sight but not an unpleasant one. God, definitely not.

“Not bad,” Ted whispers. He feels a little light-headed. Bill’s smile grows even wider and he leans down, kissing him again. Bill’s other hand comes up to rest on his shoulder, squeezing gently. _It’s okay._

Bill tastes a bit like cola and sour Skittles. It’s kind of awesome. Ted sighs and hums at that, low and pleased. He wouldn’t mind Bill being this close to him for the rest of time, blond curls tickling his forehead and the entire universe narrowed down to the feel of Bill’s mouth on his own. Maybe the phone booth could help with that, he wonders idly.

 

The happiness Ted feels blooming in his chest at the shy chuckle Bill lets out when they break apart is enough to rival the roar of any concert crowd. “Dude. We just made out with each other.”

“Yeah?” Bill says, amusement clear in his voice. “Well, I totally kissed you first.”

“Shut up.” Ted laughs, and Bill does, because Ted kisses him first this time. He can feel Bill’s mouth curling into what feels like a smile and it sends a delighted shiver up his spine, one that Bill notices. They break apart after a few seconds because Bill won’t stop laughing.

Bill falls back onto the mattress, getting sugar crystals in his hair. “You like me,” he says, like he can’t believe it. “You _like_ me.”

“Yeah, I like you,” Ted echoes, propping himself up on one elbow and shoving playfully at Bill with a hand. “Do you like me?”

“No, I just hang out with you because nobody wants to write lyrics for our stupid band and you’re the only one who actually listens to anything I say.”

Ted blinks at him. Bill rolls his eyes. “Of course I like you, doofus.”

“Oh.” Ted breaks into a grin. “Cool!” He bobs his head happily like he’s just heard an especially awesome guitar riff. He and Elizabeth are going to have a most interesting discussion about this, as should Bill and Joanna. He hopes the girls will understand. “Thanks for being such a great friend, Bill. And for… y’know.”

“No problem.” Bill shrugs. “Like I said. It doesn’t have to be a big deal.” He picks up a sweet by his shoulder, flicking it at Ted, who catches it in his mouth. “So. Anything else you want to say about your guy? Like, is he good-looking?”

“Oh, uh…” Ted smiles. “I totally forgot to mention this earlier, but his step-mom is kinda cute.”

“I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.”

“You’re right,” Bill says, and kisses him again. “I don’t.”

**Author's Note:**

> idk where this went i hope it was enjoyable though?? :)


End file.
